Our Projects
Each year the Northern Development Ministers establish priority projects to address distinct northern development opportunities and challenges. Projects that are underway or have been completed are listed below:
Changing Northern Economies, Helping Northern Communities Build a Sustainable Future [Work completed 2009]
Lead jurisdiction: British Columbia
Working Group Members: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Québec, Ontario and Saskatchewan
“The Changing Northern Economies Project examined how governments across Canada can engage in partnership building and innovative resource management, enabling northern communities to take advantage of the opportunities and to mitigate against obstacles which result from their changing northern economies”.
Northern Infrastructure [Work completed 2009]
Lead jurisdiction: Newfoundland & Labrador
Working Group Members: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Nunavut, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Québec.
“A report was prepared on the status of Northern Infrastructure in Canada. The information gathered through this project was intended to provide Ministers with clear indications of current priorities in infrastructure development. Recommendations for future actions were based on an analysis of current trends, challenges and best practices in NDMF respective jurisdictions”.
Climate Change – Best Practices in Boreal Forest Management [Work completed 2009]
Lead jurisdictions: Ontario & Manitoba
Working Group Members: British Columbia, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Alberta, and Québec.
“A report was prepared on current practices in boreal forest management and adaptive practices as related to climate change impacts on boreal forest management in particular and more generally on northern economies.”
Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Success Factors and Challenges [Work completed 2010]
Lead Jurisdiction: Ontario
Working Group Members: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, CanNor, British Columbia, Yukon, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
“A report was prepared that provided an overview of the supports (education, training and job experience, ease of securing business financing, business information, mentoring, networking within communities, and community support for entrepreneurship) needed by Aboriginal youth entrepreneurs in order to be successful. An inventory of programs in NDMF jurisdictions showed that there are a number of programs in the areas of education, training and job experience, and business financing, but little is available in the way of programs relating to mentoring and business information which were also identified as also being extremely important to Aboriginal youth entrepreneurial success.
Website Development
Lead jurisdiction: Northwest Territories
Working Group Members: Québec, Alberta
To develop a website for the Northern Development Ministers Forum
Maximizing the Economic and Social Impacts of Major Northern Projects
Lead jurisdictions: Québec and Northwest Territories
Working Group Members: Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yukon
To develop a model (best practices) to guide government and private partners in realizing maximum economic and social benefits from major northern investment projects.
Knowledge North
Lead jurisdiction: Yukon
Working Group Members: Alberta, Northwest Territories, Canada
To develop accessible and useful web-based information on key Northern development opportunities, focusing on three to four priorities with potential for substantial opportunities for future growth.
Innovation and Science: Using the Innovation Agenda for Northern Development
Lead Jurisdiction: Nunavut
Working Group Members: Canada, Ontario, British Columbia.
A discussion paper on how the federal innovation agenda can be used for the benefit of Northern economies.